mcconnell: i want to welcome all the members. it's not as terrible a job as some say it is. we welcome our ideas, your energy and your enthusiasm. and we wish you every schedule in your time here. mr. mcconnell: i also want to congratulate the president and the vice president on their hard-fought victory last week, and i'd like to say a brief word of thanks to our own nominees as well, governor romney and congressman ryan. they may not have won the race, but they earned our respect and admiration in the all and a stronger social safety net that's there when people need it most. in short, they fought for the kind of constitutional conservatism so many americans believe in so very strongly. and their loss does nothing to diminish the importance of these enduring principles or our commitment to keep fighting for them. so we thank them and we thank their families for making the sacrifices any presidential campaign demands. and i want to assure everyone the cause goes on. now, on to the task at hand. in politics, there's always a temptation among those who win office to think tha